We're Back!

The Reunion-slash-Portland vacation was a smashing hit. So fun, so relaxing (minus one day), so enriching and fulfilling. You know family is a little piece of heaven when you return home ready to be a better person than ever.

In Portland I loved: morning walk/hikes with Mom and Adrie in the backpack, huffing and puffing on hills to make my family feel happy that although I'm skinny I'm in terrible shape, riding in the girl's new car, looking at how much houses cost (too much), suffering through church with a screamy Adrie, seeing how much my little sisters love being Aunts, eating my bag of EL Fudge cookies stashed covertly in the closet, hearing Aunt Cheri exclaim what a beautiful view we had from the kitchen (and therefore reminding myself how gorgeous and breathtaking it is indeed), shopping with Mally and Rachel, how well Adrie slept in Dad's closet, the guest bathroom, and Mallory's bathroom, sneaking lunch at Chevy's, the fact we didn't turn on the tv the entire time I was there, hearing comments from almost every stranger about how darling Adrie and her hair was, and of course playing with the camera and doing a modeling shoot of those girls. Mally is a rock star.

At the Reunion I loved: Sitting down by any random relative and striking up an easy conversation, that Doug and Brittany brought every baby item I needed (especially that walker!), watching Konrad & Todd's cute kids, seeing the difference in Allie (all-girl family) and Ellie (all-boy family!), hearing the competitive sports talk among Jay and the relatives, seeing Grandma just watch and enjoy it all, Cheri & Randy the sub-grandparents who are always there when I need them (and even when I don't!), Kendall giving me new ipod music (and I haven't found a song I don't like yet!), eating three square gourmet meals and one delectable dessert each day (I'm amazed at how well people cook so far from home!), thinking about how interesting it is to watch the generations change (as my generation chased kids around and the old folks kicked back, and the teenage dorm was Rach/Ken/Mal/Kortni/Emily/Lindsay/Tessa instead of Corey, Chris and the Crabtrees), the Robinson girl's photo shoot, seeing the tweener-girls stalk Lindsay, playing games at night and watching the Crabtree marathon Settlers games, having my own little dungeon room (even if it was right by the basketball court!), hearing Jay talk about how much he missed Kurt, all the food and cookies and snacks that constantly sat in the kitchen, how much we share and use each other's stuff - consecration!, seeing how thin and gorgeous my mom is, watching Kendall giggle in the lake with Adrie, the nightly meetings that were the perfect length of time, the family song that made me cry every time I sang it, talking to Mally Kendall and Rachel at night in their 'dorm', seeing Adrie's excitement at being in the walker, and the general warmth and bit of Heaven that was there. I did NOT like the teens watching an entire season of Avatar - but hey, they were bonding (I guess?!) Just shows another gap in the generations. We used to play hide 'n seek outside and night games, they watch tv.

We are back and Adrie has an eye infection and an ear infection. But it was worth it. She has slept 90% of the time since we've been home and all is well. Can't wait for two years from now! Check the darkroom blog soon for my favorite reunion pictures.